₦airaland Forum

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday again adjourned indefinitely the suit filed by an African Democratic Congress chieftain, Nafiu Bala Gombe, challenging the party’s leadership under former Senate President David Mark.

Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the matter sine die after the plaintiff informed the court that he had applied to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for the transfer of the case to another judge.

The suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025 has generated a fresh leadership crisis within the ADC following the emergence of Mark and former Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola, in the party’s leadership structure.

At the resumed proceedings, counsel for the plaintiff, Luka Musa Haruna, told the court that the Supreme Court had on April 30 dismissed the interlocutory appeal earlier filed by Mark against the proceedings.

He said the apex court also set aside the Court of Appeal’s order staying proceedings in the substantive suit.

“The interlocutory appeal of the second defendant has travelled to the Supreme Court. My Lord, we are glad to inform this honourable court that on the 30th day of April 2026, the Supreme Court delivered its judgment on the interlocutory appeal dismissing the said appeal for lacking in merit,” he said.

The lawyer, however, disclosed that the plaintiff had written a letter dated May 4, 2026 to the Chief Judge seeking reassignment of the case to another judge.

Haruna urged Justice Nwite to await the administrative decision of the Chief Judge on the request.

“At this juncture, we must humbly pray to your Lordship, to wait for the administrative decision of the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court,” Haruna said.

The request was opposed by lawyers representing the defendants, who accused the plaintiff of attempting to frustrate the accelerated hearing earlier ordered by the Court of Appeal and upheld by the Supreme Court.

Counsel for the first defendant, Realwan Okpanachi, faulted the plaintiff for allegedly ambushing the defence with the transfer request.

“We have not received any communication regarding that application. My Lord, so as it is, we don’t know the form or the content of that application. Therefore, we take the approach of the plaintiff as an ambush,” he said.

“We also consider it as an attempt to frustrate the order of accelerated hearing granted by the Court of Appeal and upheld by the Supreme Court,” he added.

Counsel for the second defendant, Sulaiman Usman, described the move as “forum shopping and judge shopping.”

“So my Lord, for the plaintiffs to come back to this court, and to inform us today that they have written a private correspondence to the Honourable Chief Judge, and to hinge that to make a request for this court to await the outcome of that private correspondence, is not only unfortunate My Lord, but a dangerous trend which must not be allowed to stand,” he said.

Counsel for the fifth defendant, P.I. Oyewole, also opposed the request, describing it as “strange” and accusing the plaintiff of inviting the Chief Judge “to indulge in judicial rascality.”

Responding, Haruna maintained that the plaintiff stood by the application.

Ruling, Justice Nwite held that the court could not take any action on the letter without hearing all parties.

“Taking a decision or any action in such a letter without hearing from the defendants will amount to breach of their fundamental right in this suit,” the judge ruled.

He added that since the letter was addressed to the Chief Judge, the trial court could not make any pronouncement on it.

Justice Nwite subsequently adjourned the matter indefinitely.

“This matter is best adjourned sine die to afford the parties properly file a Certified True Copy of the judgment of the Supreme Court in the interlocutory appeal in the suit, to serve the defendants with the letter addressed to the Honourable Chief Judge, and finally to await further or any directive from the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court,” Justice Nwite said.

Gombe is seeking an order restraining Mark, Aregbesola and others from parading themselves as leaders of the ADC, arguing that their emergence violated the party’s constitution and provisions of the Electoral Act.

treesun:
https://punchng.com/court-adjourns-adc-leadership-suit-indefinitely/

igatit:
Ghfjgkydludud ydududufu ufufufifi uxkgzjzjiz[ ifif8f9

treesun:
https://punchng.com/court-adjourns-adc-leadership-suit-indefinitely/

iwaeda:
Wike Boasts Of Helping APC Use Judiciary To Kill Osun LG Funds Case, Warns Party Leaders Against Ingratitude

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has openly boasted that he assisted certain elements within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in deploying the judiciary to frustrate the Osun State local government allocation lawsuit.

In a video now circulating widely on social media and obtained by SaharaReporters, Wike made the claim while addressing a crowd in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The former Rivers governor accused the APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, of benefitting from judicial actions against the Osun State Government without knowing those who did the work behind the scenes.

The suit in question led to the withholding of local government funds in Osun State, a development widely seen as targeting the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke as opposition in the state.

Wike, who spoke angrily, suggested that the court action supporting the APC’s position against the Osun government did not happen by chance, boasting that powerful political forces worked quietly to ensure the outcome.

“Don’t take our support for Mr President for granted,” Wike warned, in an apparent message to APC leaders defending Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara. “You have to be careful about the statements you make. You have to be very careful.”

He accused Basiru of political ingratitude, claiming the APC was enjoying in Osun State without understanding who engineered their advantage.

“Today, you are enjoying in Osun. You don’t know those who did the work,” Wike said. “You are opening your mouth to talk about Rivers State.”

https://saharareporters.com/2026/01/08/wike-boasts-helping-apc-use-judiciary-kill-osun-lg-funds-case-warns-party-leaders

Minister Wike has warned the National Secretary of the APC, Ajibola Basiru to stay clear of Rivers State.
Lol 😆 https://t.co/sNKjJfb8qn pic.twitter.com/E9SgSwASil

— Emma ik Umeh (Tcee )🇳🇬 (@emmaikumeh) January 5, 2026

Penkelems:
What will happen if someone contest under the ADC and wins?

Gotocourt:
ATIKU go see things ,
Appeasing Nafiu Gombe is late.

Penkelems:
What will happen if someone contest under the ADC and wins?

BlakKluKluxKlan:
Litigation may render Atiku stranded, while Kwankwaso may render Peter Obi stranded.

Evanderbright:
Lawyers in the house
What does it connote?